Tips to open PUB file

Can't open the PUB file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open PUB files as well as a list of programs that support PUB files.

PUB file extension

File Name Publisher Document
File Developer Microsoft
File Category Layout Files

The PUB file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the PUB files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the PUB file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 4
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is PUB file?

The .PUB file is the main format used by the Microsoft Publisher application. It allows you to design the appearance of the document. It is used to design posters, banners or layouts in magazines. They are typically used by professionals, although an increasing number of home users are choosing to use Publisher and then export their designs to text documents. The .PUB format itself is also supported by other industry applications, although in some cases additional plugins are required.

How to open PUB file?

An often recurring problem with Publisher Document is that PUB is not associated with the correct program file. This causes the file PUB to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the PUB file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install Adobe InDesign

The first step is to check if the computer has the Adobe InDesign program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name Adobe InDesign in it. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below is a list of programs that support the file PUB.

Step 2. Create association of Adobe InDesign with PUB files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the PUB file still does not use the Adobe InDesign program, it means no association. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the PUB file with the Adobe InDesign program.

Step 3. Update Adobe InDesign to the latest version

If, despite the association of the Adobe InDesign program with the Publisher Document file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. In this case, use the Adobe Systems Incorporated website or update the program from the application.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the PUB file

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. The most common file problems are:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the PUB file. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the PUB file that we want to open. However, remember that not every infected PUB file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the PUB files changes over time. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for the failure. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair PUB file corruption. The easiest way to restore the file is from a backup or by contacting Microsoft, but this one can be expensive. Not all damage can be reversed.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted PUB files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. It is best to move PUB to a different directory.
This problem usually affects more complex files. You may find that another program you are using is preventing you from working with the file. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file PUB to close. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the PUB file for a certain period of time. If the problem persists, restart the machine.